The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) is a law that organizations in Ontario must follow. It mandates that every organization must follow accessibility standards to make their company assets more accessible to people with disabilities.
Organizations must be able to present an AODA policy that outlines their commitment to making their products, services, and hiring process more accessible to Ontarians with disabilities.
AODA standards require that public-facing websites meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level A and AA requirements. Here are some of the AODA compliance considerations that organizations should make for their websites:
- Provide text alternatives for non-text content so individuals can change the text into other formats as needed.
- Provide alternatives for time-based media, such as captions, transcripts, sign language, etc.
- Create content that can be presented in different ways without losing its information or structure.
- Make it easier for users to see and hear content, such as separating the foreground from the background using colour, audio control, text size, etc.
- Make all functionalities of the website available on the keyboard.
- Provide users with enough time to read and use the content. If there are time restrictions, consider providing users with the ability to extend or turn off the time limit.
- Provide ways to help users navigate, locate, and identify content by adding page titles, links, headings, etc.
There are also four steps to follow to make your hiring process compliant with AODA standards:
- Plan to make accessibility accommodations easy to implement if any candidates have any specific requests.
- Ask if candidates require accessibility accommodations in the job application process.
- If a candidate makes an accommodation request, meet with the candidate to discuss appropriate accessibility measures that provide them with equal hiring opportunities.
- Successful candidates must be notified of your accessibility policies and commitments for employees with disabilities.
If you need help ensuring your website and business processes are AODA compliant, contact us for help today.